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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24954499">A Great Love Story</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/blk0912/pseuds/blk0912'>blk0912</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Law &amp; Order: SVU</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Barsonoah, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff, Friends to Lovers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 09:29:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,243</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24954499</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/blk0912/pseuds/blk0912</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after 19x13. Olivia gets fed up and decides to do something about it, and the loyalty of the SVU team is shown to Dodds and McCoy.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Noah Porter Benson &amp; Olivia Benson, Rafael Barba &amp; Noah Porter Benson, Rafael Barba/Olivia Benson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>78</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Great Love Story</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So I've honestly had a pretty horrible week, and I was feeling angry, and this idea popped into my head so I decided to go with it. I usually don't do angst, if you could call this that, so hopefully you all like it anyway. There's more swearing in this than I typically write, too, but again, I hope you all like it anyway.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p>After listening to the witness that had just been in the conference room, Stone shook his head at the woman next to him.</p><p>“Liv, I…” he started.</p><p>“Don’t. Call. Me. That,” Olivia bit out, turning and walking back to her desk. “You don’t get to call me that.”</p><p>“I thought…”</p><p>“Obviously you didn’t. You prosecute my <em>best friend</em> for murder, when we both know all he did was end that baby’s needless suffering, and you think you get to call me <em>Liv</em>? Are you <em>fucking</em> kidding me?!”</p><p>“Olivia, you need to calm down,” Chief Dodds said as he entered the room, hearing the commotion from outside her open office door.</p><p>“I <em>have </em>been <em>calm</em>! I sat there <em>every day</em> watching my <em>best friend</em>, the <em>best</em> ADA we <em>ever had</em>, be needlessly put on trial! Because <em>your friend</em>, the almighty Jack McCoy, who <em>fucked</em> every female co-counsel he ever had, but somehow <em>that’s</em> okay, could apparently no longer stand someone doing something that wasn’t simply black and white! And before that…you and 1PP weren’t sure a mere <em>sergeant</em> should be in charge of SVU. So I took, and passed with flying colors I might add, the lieutenant’s exam. And before that…instead of letting Amaro take the sergeant’s exam and be my second in command, <em>you</em> decided to stick me with <em>your son</em>. Oh, and <em>then…and then…you</em> blamed <em>me</em> when he got shot! Then when <em>my son</em> was kidnapped and I, God forbid, asked for some personal time, you only gave me a few <em>days</em> before you started looking for <em>my replacement</em>. So, it’s apparently only okay to make mistakes if you’ve climbed the political ladder enough to be in a position of power. Or to be the son of someone in a position of power.”</p><p>“Olivia…” Dodds tried again.</p><p>Olivia unclipped her shield and gun, loudly dropping them onto her desk. “You think you can do my job better than I can? Go ahead and try. <em>I have no fight left in me</em>. I’m <em>done</em>,” she finished, grabbing a few personal items and tossing them into her bag before picking it up and walking out of the room, furiously wiping at the tears falling from her eyes.</p><hr/><p>Exchanging shocked expressions with Fin and Sonny, Amanda realized she couldn’t let Dodds think he could just replace Olivia the same way McCoy had just tried to replace Rafael. When she saw Dodds and Stone walk out of the office and knew she had their attention, she unclipped her own shield and gun.</p><p>“If Liv leaves, I leave,” she said resolutely, copying Olivia’s earlier actions and tossing a few of her personal items into her bag.</p><p>“Me, too,” Sonny added before turning to his partner. “Manda, would you mind carrying a few things for me?”</p><p>“Sure.”</p><p>With a shocked expression, Dodds turned to Fin. “What about you, detective?”</p><p>“Guess you’re going to have to staff a whole new unit to go along with your new lawyer,” Fin replied, removing his shield and gun the way the other three people before him had.</p><p>“You can’t just leave like this,” Dodds began.</p><p>“Watch us,” Amanda replied before turning on her heel and walking away, Sonny and Fin close behind her.</p><hr/><p>“They all just <em>quit</em>!” Stone said to McCoy as he and Dodds attempted to explain what had happened at SVU earlier that morning.</p><p>“<em>Who</em> is <em>all</em>?” McCoy asked.</p><p>“Lieutenant Benson, and Detectives Tutola, Rollins, and Carisi. The whole unit,” Dodds replied. “I got Brooklyn and Long Island SVU to send some people over to cover in the meantime, but that leaves <em>them</em> short staffed.”</p><p>“I don’t understand what caused all of this? Because Peter called Lieutenant Benson by the same name everyone else in the unit does?”</p><p>“I think that was just the catalyst. The straw that broke the camel’s back, as they say,” a new voice said from the doorway.</p><p>Turning, the three men saw Rafael’s, now Stone’s, assistant, Carmen, standing there. She held a piece of paper in her hand and had a determined look on her face.</p><p>“You underestimated how much a team they all were,” she told them. “Rafael and Olivia were <em>partners</em>. The whole unit worked together as well as they did because they all <em>trusted</em> each other. They fought, sure, but they were a <em>family</em>, so it was bound to happen. You can’t just tear one of them away and expect things to remain the same. If Rafael had chosen to stay, I would have stuck with him, but you made him feel like he had to leave, so he did. It wasn’t until <em>after</em> he was found <em>not guilty</em> of the ridiculous charges <em>you</em> chose to bring against him that you decided he could stay. He never should have been charged in the first place, and I can no longer work for someone who can just throw away <em>years</em> of good work because of one simple act of kindness. I have three weeks of vacation, and I have already arranged for a replacement starting tomorrow. Consider this my notice.”</p><p>McCoy looked down at the paper in his hand and then back up as Carmen turned and walked out, the click of her heels the only sound in the room.</p><hr/><p>“You all really didn’t need to quit on my account,” Olivia told her friends as they gathered in her living room.</p><p>“We did it of our own free will,” Amanda replied. “It’s not like any of us will have trouble finding work. Maybe I can even find a job that allows me to get home at a decent time every night and <em>still</em> help people.”</p><p>“I think I might move out of the city.”</p><p>All three former detectives looked surprised at their former boss’ admission.</p><p>“I thought you liked living in the city?” Sonny asked.</p><p>“I do, but let’s be real, it would be nice for Noah to have a yard to play in. Maybe I could even get him that dog he’s been asking for.”</p><p>“Is Noah unhappy here?” Amanda wondered.</p><p>“Not that he’s told me. Although he keeps asking for Rafael and I’m running out of excuses as to why he hasn’t been over, and I have no idea how to tell him that he’s not coming back. I don’t know what I did in a past life to deserve this mostly shitty one, to have <em>two </em>partners just up and leave. To decide that I’m not good enough to stick around for. They both led me on, and I <em>let them</em>. I put my life on hold for <em>years</em> because I stupidly thought I loved Elliott. Then Rafael Barba comes strutting into my life and manages to break down every fucking barrier I put up without me even realizing it. And then…and then…when I finally come to terms with my feelings for him, everything goes to hell and he’s telling me that he has to move on!”</p><p>“I don’t think it’s as simple as that, Lu,” Sonny said softly. “At least not where Rafael’s concerned.”</p><p>“Sure seems like it from where I’m sitting.”</p><hr/><p>Knowing Rafael was home, most likely wallowing, and would refuse to answer the door, Rita used her key to let herself in. Fin had texted her, telling her everything that had happened that morning and that Olivia was in love with Rafael. As if she didn’t already know that part. She knew Rafael would be angry with her for barging in, but she didn’t care. Someone needed to talk some sense into him, and they had been friends long enough that she was confident he would eventually forgive her.</p><p>“Go away,” Rafael muttered, finishing the glass of scotch he’d been drinking and reaching for the bottle to pour himself more.</p><p>“Not happening,” Rita said, grabbing the bottle and setting it on the kitchen counter, out of Rafael’s reach from his seat on the couch.</p><p>“What do you want? I can’t make any deals with you anymore, I’m lucky I didn’t get disbarred on top of being charged with murder.”</p><p>“Rafael Eduardo Barba,” Rita said with a snap of her fingers to make sure she had his attention. “You are <em>not</em> a murderer. Jack McCoy is an <em>idiot</em> for charging you with murder in the first place. Would you like to know what your <em>friends</em>, your <em>team</em>, did this morning?”</p><p>“Threw Stone a ‘Welcome to the Squad’ party?”</p><p>“No, you <em>idiot</em>, they all <em>quit!</em> Well, Olivia did first, and then the rest of them followed suit. Olivia yelled at Dodds and told him if he thought he could do her job better than she could, then he could go ahead and try because she had no fight left in her, she was done. And Carmen! Carmen told McCoy to <em>his face</em> how stupid he was and how he couldn’t just tear one member of a team way and then expect them to continue on as if nothing had happened. She said she couldn’t work for someone who could throw away years of good work because of an act of <em>kindness. </em>Not a <em>mistake</em>, Rafael, <em>an act of kindness</em>.”</p><p>“They didn’t need to do that. In fact, I don’t know why they did on my account.”</p><p>Rita rolled her eyes. Silently walking into the kitchen, she took two small glasses and filled them with water. Taking the first one, she stepped in front of her friend and threw it in his face.</p><p>“What the <em>hell</em>, Rita?!” Rafael asked angrily, wiping the water from his face.</p><p>“<em>Stop wallowing</em> and get your head out of your ass, Rafael!” she shouted back. “Those people are your <em>friends</em> and they <em>love</em> you! Your <em>best friend</em>, your <em>soul mate</em>, stood by you every day of that circus of a trial and you <em>still</em> don’t think she loves you back?! That her little boy doesn’t love you just as much?! You’re his <em>hero</em>, Rafael, and <em>nothing</em> you have done will change that!”</p><p>Rafael was silent as he processed what Rita was saying. He was stopped from saying anything by the sound of a knock on his door.</p><p>Rita shoved the second glass of water into Rafael’s hands. “You drink this, I’ll go answer the door.”</p><hr/><p>Opening Rafael’s door, Rita couldn’t hide her surprise at seeing McCoy standing on the other side.</p><p>“McCoy,” she said coolly.</p><p>“Rita,” McCoy returned. “It’s been a while. I didn’t realize you and Rafael were still in touch.”</p><p>“We’ve been friends since before either of us started with the DA’s office. Of course we kept in touch. What can I do for you?”</p><p>“I need to talk to Rafael.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>McCoy was surprised at the question. Narrowing his eyes, he regarded the woman in front of him. “Are you his guard dog now or something?” he asked irritably.</p><p>Rita barely resisted rolling her eyes. She wasn’t afraid of Jack McCoy. “I’m his <em>friend</em>. He’s been through enough the last few weeks. Mostly thanks to you. If you’re here to do anything other than <em>grovel</em>, I’m not letting you in.”</p><p>McCoy glanced at his watch before turning back to Rita. “Turn on the news.”</p><p>“Rita, just let him in,” Rafael said from behind her. “And go turn on the news, it’s apparently important.”</p><p>This time Rita did roll her eyes, but she did as Rafael asked.</p><hr/><p>“I don’t want to watch the news,” Olivia argued as she got up to search for something to eat.</p><p>“Rita said it’s important,” Fin told her. “Besides, we need some background noise.”</p><p>“Fine.”</p><p>“McCoy makes public announcement,” Amanda read the banner at the bottom of the screen, causing Olivia to turn her attention back to the TV.</p><hr/><p>“I know this conference was called suddenly, so I will get straight to the point,” McCoy began. “I would like to issue an apology to Rafael Barba. I was mistaken when I decided to charge him with murder and by the time I realized this, I was too ashamed to bring myself to do anything about it. He was correctly found not guilty. My actions in regards to Mr. Barba’s selfless act were unforgivable and I have therefore decided to step down as New York City District Attorney, effective immediately. Executive ADA Casey Novak will serve as interim District Attorney until a special election can be held. I hope that Mr. Barba will reconsider his resignation from the New York City District Attorney’s office and accept my sincerest apologies. Thank you.”</p><hr/><p>Olivia and two of the other three occupants of the apartment stood gaping at the TV. Fin simply had a satisfied smile on his face.</p><p>“Liv? You okay?” Amanda asked as her friend slowly lowered herself to the couch and then simply sat there in silence.</p><p>When she didn’t respond, Sonny took a seat in front of her on the coffee table. “Lu? You’re scaring us.”</p><p>“I need a minute,” she said, suddenly standing and walking to her bedroom, letting the door slam behind her.</p><p>“Get. Barba. Here. Now,” Amanda said to Fin. “I’ll go get him myself if I have to.”</p><p>Fin nodded, quickly dialing Rita’s number, knowing she was with the man in question.</p><hr/><p>After watching McCoy’s apology, Rafael turned to the older man in disbelief.</p><p>“Are you insane?” he finally asked.</p><p>“I made a mistake, Rafael,” McCoy replied. “A big one. I cost the District Attorney’s office the best prosecutor we’ve ever had. I didn’t think you’d come back to work for me, but I know you and Casey get along well, so I thought you might work for her. Or you could run for District Attorney yourself. America loves a comeback, remember?”</p><p>“I…I don’t know. I still feel <em>off</em>.”</p><p>“So take some time to get your head back together. But I want you go to back to the DA’s office. I will make sure that you can take however long you need with your full salary.”</p><p>“What do you mean she <em>locked herself in her bedroom</em>?” the two men heard Rita ask loudly. They hadn’t even heard her answer her phone.</p><p>“Who are you talking about?” McCoy asked her.</p><p>“Olivia,” Rita replied. “Fin turned on the news. She saw the apology. Fin said she went white and then said she needed a minute. After five minutes, Amanda went to check on her and found the door locked. She refuses to let anyone in.”</p><p>Rafael immediately picked up his coat. “I need to go,” he said as he put it on and walked to the kitchen to grab his keys.</p><p>“I should go with him,” Rita said, grabbing her own coat and quickly showing McCoy out.</p><p>Watching Rafael lock up his apartment and then walk down the hall with Rita, McCoy hoped he had done enough to make things right. There had been rumors for years about Rafael and Olivia, most of the DA’s office and the NYPD thought they were already a couple.</p><p>It made McCoy thought about his own life. After his college sweetheart had died in a car accident, he’d buried himself in his work and had put off any long-term relationships, instead choosing to have various flings while he worked his way up to District Attorney. He’d had a connection similar to Rafael and Olivia’s once, but he’d been afraid and he’d pushed the woman away. That was many years ago and she had probably moved on by now. Rafael was smarter than he was, though, and he had faith that the younger man wouldn’t make the same mistake that he did.</p><hr/><p>“Where is she?” Rafael immediately demanded when Fin opened the door of Olivia’s apartment to admit him and Rita. “And when is Noah due home?”</p><p>“Lucy is taking him to the movies after school, since today is the start of his winter break. She said she could take him for ice cream afterwards to buy us a little more time,” Fin replied. “Liv is still in her room.”</p><p>Rafael nodded, quickly shedding his coat and walking back to Olivia’s room. When Amanda, who had been sitting outside the door trying to coax her friend into opening it, saw him, she gave him a soft smile and patted his shoulder as she passed him. “Take care of her,” she said.</p><p>Rafael gave her a brief nod before he knocked on the door himself.</p><p>“Liv, open the door. Please.”</p><p>“Why? So you can tell me more about how you have to <em>move on</em>?” Olivia bit back.</p><p>“I was stupid, and I was wrong, okay? I have more I want to say to you but I don’t want to do it through a door.”</p><p>“Tough shit.”</p><p>“Okay, fine, have it your way,” Rafael replied.</p><p>“What are you doing?” Amanda asked when she saw him walk into Noah’s bathroom.</p><p>“Looking for something to pick the lock with, what do you think I’m doing?”</p><p>Amanda sighed, taking a bobby pin out of her hair and holding it out to him. “Here, use this.”</p><p>“Thanks.”</p><hr/><p>Sitting on the floor with her back to the door, Olivia was surprised to hear something in the lock next to her head. When she heard Rafael cursing in Spanish, she smiled a little to herself and moved to sit on the end of the bed. If he wanted to talk to her, he could fight his way into the room. Maybe it would give him some resolve to fight for <em>her</em>, for <em>them</em>.</p><p>“Olivia Margaret Benson, you give new meaning to the word <em>stubborn</em>,” Rafael said when he finally got the door open.</p><p>Olivia crossed her arms and looked down at the ground, staying silent. Rafael shut and re-locked the door behind himself before he spoke again.</p><p>“<em>Cariño, por favor, mírame</em>,” he said as he approached, dropping to his knees in front of her and attempting to take her hands in his.</p><p>“No! You don’t get to call me names and talk to me in Spanish! Not after <em>you left me</em>!”</p><p>“<em>I’m sorry</em>. I’m <em>so </em>sorry. <em>Lo siento mucho</em>. I was a coward and <em>I’m sorry</em>. I was going to tell you how I really feel, but I chickened out at the last second. I had convinced myself that you would be better off without me.”</p><p>“¡<em>Estas loco</em>! Better off without my partner, my <em>best friend</em>? I don’t care what your profession is, Rafael. But you knew my history with people walking away and you did it anyway!”</p><p>“I know. I don’t know what else to say besides I’m a coward and I’m so, so sorry. Walking away from you, and not being honest with you, was the biggest mistake of my life. I <em>need</em> you, Livia, you and Noah, and that scared the shit out of me. I had plans for my life that didn’t include a family. I was trying so hard to not be like my father, to be everything my <em>abuelita</em> wanted me to be, and then I met you and suddenly everything started changing. You just <em>got</em> me.</p><p>I found myself wanting to spend time with you, but you were with Cassidy, and you kept turning down my invitations for drinks, and then you started to see Tucker behind my back. But <em>you</em> always managed to find <em>me</em>. I was hurt and confused, but I pushed that aside so I could be your friend. Because I couldn’t stand to <em>not</em> have you in my life.</p><p>These past few months, as you’ve let me get to know your son, get to know another side to <em>you</em>, I fell harder and more in love with you than I already was. With <em>both</em> of you. I only wanted to be a husband and a father if you and Noah were the wife and son. When you talked about wanting to give Noah more family, I wanted to tell you that <em>my</em> mother would <em>love</em> Noah. That <em>she</em> could be the grandmother that you wanted Noah to have. And then the Householder case happened and everything just went to absolute shit. You stood by me, even though I didn’t think I deserved it.”</p><p>Olivia’s heart broke. She didn’t realize how badly <em>she</em> had hurt <em>him</em>. “Rafa…”</p><p>“Just let me finish,” he said, and she nodded. “<em>Te amo con todo mi corazón. Tu y Noah es mi todo. Solo quiero hacerte feliz</em>. <em>Por favor dame otra oportunidad</em>.”</p><p>“<em>También te amo</em>. <em>Siempre</em>,” Olivia replied tearfully. “I just want <em>you</em>, Rafa. That’s all Noah wants, too. Well, he wants us both, actually.”</p><p>Rafael chuckled a little at Olivia’s correction. “Is that a yes, then?”</p><p>“You can’t leave again, Rafa. I haven’t been able to bring myself to explain to Noah that you weren’t coming back, and I wasn’t looking forward to have to find a way to do it.”</p><p>“Never,” Rafael promised. “I’d marry you and adopt Noah tomorrow if I could.”</p><p>Olivia was silent. Rafael’s words had momentarily surprised her. But the more she thought about it, the more <em>right</em> it seemed. She’d been in love with Rafael for years and she wanted to be able to look into his expressive green eyes every day for the rest of her life.</p><p>“Don’t you usually need a ring for a proposal?” she teased.</p><p>“About that…” Rafael replied, taking a small ring box out of his pocket and opening it before turning to face her. “It was my <em>abuelita</em>’s ring. She told me to give it to <em>mi alma gemela</em>. That’s you, Livia.”</p><p>“It’s beautiful.”</p><p>“Is that a yes?”</p><p>“You haven’t even kissed me yet and you’re already proposing?”</p><p>Rafael leaned up and wrapped his hand around the back of Olivia’s neck as he pressed his lips to hers. Olivia cupped his face in her hands as she tilted her head to deepen the kiss.</p><p>“So, is that a yes?” Rafael repeated when they broke apart for air.</p><p>“Yes,” Olivia answered. “Yes, Rafa, I’ll marry you, and you can adopt Noah. He’ll be thrilled we get to keep you forever.”</p><p>Rafael chuckled, moving to sit beside Olivia and pull her into his arms. “Keep me forever?”</p><p>“He told me last night that when you come back, he wants to keep you forever because he loves you and misses you and wants to play with you every day.”</p><p>“We could surprise him and pick him up from the movies. You could pack a couple bags-one for you and one for him-and spend the weekend with me. Then once I convince you to move in with me, we can come back here and start to pack up your stuff. But I’m going to need you to accept whatever bribe Dodds can come up with to get you <em>and</em> your team back at SVU because I could use the SVU Lieutenant by my side when I run for District Attorney.”</p><p>“You’re really going to run for DA?”</p><p>“I don’t think I’m ever going to have a better chance than right now. And I know Casey doesn’t want it. Who’s going to run against me, Stone? Being a lawyer wasn’t even his first choice. Besides, the only thing America loves more than a good comeback is a good love story.”</p><p>Olivia smiled, leaning over to kiss him again. “Deal.”</p><hr/><p>Standing outside the movie theater, Olivia kept Rafael’s hand firmly clasped in hers as they waited for Noah. She had sent Lucy a text to let her know she and Rafael would meet her at the theater to pick up Noah, but it was a surprise for the little boy.</p><hr/><p>Walking out of the theater with Lucy, Noah tried to put on his happiest face, but it was hard. He’d enjoyed the movie, but he had wanted his mom and Rafael to take him. He loved Lucy, but all the other kids in his group of friends had gone to the movie with their parents and Rafael did all over the other dad stuff that his friends’ dads did, so he wanted to go with them.</p><p>“Are you okay, buddy?” Lucy asked, concerned for her young friend.</p><p>“I’m okay,” Noah answered. “I just miss Rafa is all.”</p><p>Lucy bent and pressed a kiss to the little boy’s head. “I know. I’m sure he’ll come by again soon. Maybe sooner than you think.”</p><p>Noah opened his mouth to reply, but then he spotted his mom and Rafael. They were holding hands and kept smiling at each other.</p><p>“Go ahead,” Lucy told him. “I’ll bring your backpack.”</p><p>Noah nodded, taking off at full speed toward the two adults. “Mom! Dad!”</p><hr/><p>Seeing Noah run toward them, Olivia and Rafael bent to accept his hug, sharing a smile when they heard him call Rafael ‘dad’ instead of ‘Rafa’.</p><p>“<em>Mijo</em>,” Rafael said when he felt Noah’s arm around his neck. “I missed you.”</p><p>“I missed you, too!” Noah replied, moving to wrap both arms around his neck and hug him tightly.</p><p>Olivia rubbed a hand up and down Noah’s back and then did the same to Rafael’s arm before she stood and began to talk to Lucy. Standing with Noah in his arms, Rafael's smile grew when he felt the boy wrap his legs around his waist and lay his head on his shoulder.</p><p>“How would you feel about spending the weekend with me?” he asked the little boy.</p><p>“Me and Mom?” Noah replied.</p><p>“Yes. You, me, and Mami. Just the three of us. All weekend.”</p><p>“Forever?”</p><p>“If that’s what you and Mami decide you want.”</p><p>“Okay,” Noah agreed before promptly launching into a list of what he wanted to do over the weekend.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Translations:<br/>Cariño, por favor, mírame: Sweetie/honey, please, look at me<br/>Lo siento mucho: I'm so sorry<br/>Estas loco: you're crazy<br/>Te amo con todo mi corazón. Tu y Noah es mi todo. Solo quiero hacerte feliz. Por favor dame otra oportunidad: I love you with all my heart. You and Noah are my everything. I just want to make you happy. Please give me another chance<br/>También te amo. Siempre: I love you, too. Forever.<br/>Abuelita: grandma<br/>Mijo: my son</p></blockquote></div></div>
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